The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-10-07
A FAMOUS DUELIsT.


some interesting Stories Of :
Noted French Fire-Eater.
Dueling Is not an ancient institu-
don. No traces Of Il are TO be found
among any Of the nations Of anti
ouity. The medieval trial by brute
force would seem to have been the
foundation Of the modern duel. The
first recognition Of single combat As a
regular judicial proceeding Is TO DC
found in the laws Of Gundebald.
King Of the Burgundians, at the begin
ming Of the sixth century. The prac-
tice spread rapidly a mong the warlike
Franks, and in the reign Of Charlie
marne. three hundred years later.
4 had become so universal that not
only the parties in a common suit at
law. but the witnesses and even the
Judges were constantly summoned to
mortal combat in support OF the jus
tice II their cause. the truth Of their
testimony or the uprightness Of their
decisions. This manner Of trial was
afterward restricted by Louis VII to
the decision Of criminal accusations OF
civil causes, when. as shown BY the
ordinance be rendered in l168. the OBJ
iect q the dispute exceeded five '~'sols."
or cents. in value-fivc cents in those
days being. Of course. . much larger
sum than it is to-day.
These laws and customs r tho
sources Of the duel; and It is from this
ancient practice Of making the sword
the scale Of justice hat the modern
duel. modified from time to time, has
descended to US. Single combat rs a
judicial proceeding did not however,
survive the fifteenth century, and with
its gradual disappearance the modern
duel became the recognized means Of
vindlcating offended honor. Italy was
the first great field for this modified
single combat Thence the rage
spread with redoublcd fury into
France. Spain and Great Britain. In
England we hear little Of il before the
profigate days Of the Stuarts. But II
Is France that affords the most detailed
and authorized records Of dueling.
The French kings and Parliament long
maintained its formal and practical le-
gality. Henry II. presided. with his
whole court. nj the combat between NJ.
de LaChafaigncraie and n. de Jarnac,
caused BY a scandal. which terminated
in the death Of La Chataigneraic;
when de Jarnac. his hands yet rceking
with his kinsman's blood. raised them
70 Heaven and exclaimed: mot INTO
me, 0 Lord. but unto Thy lame be
thanks" Charles TX was the last
French King who presided at one Of
these exhibitions; 50 he was also the
FIRST who sought to check the practice
BY naming a Court Of Honor for the
satisfaction Of ofEenses committed
against its laws. In Henry Tvs
reign. and in defiance Of his edicts in
fiicting the penalty Of death on all du-
elists. there fell in ducls no fewer than
Tour thousand Of his subjects, while up
wards Of fourteen thousand pardons
were granted for fighting.
About half way up the Rue de Jour.
near the Sainte-E ustache Church, in
Paris, Is an old house. rendered on
spicuous BY a WIDE porch and extensive
stock-in-trade OF china This, two
centuries ago. was the Hotel de Roy
aumont, built BY Philippe Hurauit,
Bishop Of Charles and Able Of Rowan.
mont Later on, il wa occupied by
Francois de Montmorency. Comte dc
bcuteviile. who made IL . general
rendezvous for the duelists Of Paris,
All the gentlemen Of the court. eager
@ challenge any Of their peers over
some love intrigue. or who for some
personal motive looked daggcrs Al
each other on the Place RoysIe or the
Sour IA Refine. met at the mansion n
tne hue du Jour. Here they were hos.
pi'ably received and entertained: thew
we're offered , cold collation. with
wines and liquors before entering Inc
,ls's' and those who had forgotten d
S.ing weapons were provided with I
goodiy selection Of polished steel.
throughout the morning there was an
sncessant clash Of bladcs. each thrust
snd parry being watched with intense
interest by veterans. who. after old
ss0tss had been wiped Cd. and the
sSent surgeon had bandaged the
~;sh a,Ants wounds, were invited
- We d~uelists and their seconds,
vile. ~ ~om'e &c Doute'
you'd doubtless BE- . vain quest
EEK nowadays. for 4 single repre-.
~. a''ve Of this defunct race Of duel.
= race 70 which Choquart evident.
belonged. He must have had a.
LOTS among the cxquisites q The
Ign q Louis XIII. the swash- buck.
~ q the Hotel do Royaumont, or the
~ rsnala corps Of musketeers q Louis
~ C~hcquart's mania for duelinc,
"a eser.rccurring provocations 70 Dc.
= difference At the swords poIn,
-'Ae p him : public character; and